Popcorn-popper.



UNITED STATES rArnNr onrion.

MATTHEW I-I. HOFFMAN, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, AssIGNoa or ONE-HALF TOANTON SIMON, or CHICAGO, ILLINoIs.

POPCORN-POPPER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 2, 1909.

Application filed November 30, 1908. Serial No. 465,405.

To all whom 'it may concern} Be it known that I, MATTHEW H. Horr- MAN, acitizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cookand State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Popcorn-Poppers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improved popcorn popper, the object of theinvention being to provide improvements of this character with animproved stirrer or agitator rotated in the lower portion of thereceptacle by my approved arrangement of gearing.

A further object is to provide an improved popper which will contain alarge quantity of popcorn, and which can be readily manipulated toeffectually pop the corn without danger of burning.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in certainnovel features of construction, and combinations, and arrangements ofparts as will be more fully hereinafter described and pointed out in theclaim.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1, is a view in vertical sectionillustrating my improvements, and Fig. 2, is a view in vertical sectiontaken at right angles to Fig. 1.

1 represents a cylindrical casing having a thick bottom 2 constituting areceptacle for the popcorn. A handle 3 of any desired length is securedto the casing 1, and is preferably composed of a single piece of metalbent at right angles as shown, and securely riveted to the casing 1 nearits upper edge. This handle 3 has a bracket 41: secured thereonproviding an eye or bearing 5 to receive a link 6 on the receptaclecover 7 and hinge the cover to the receptacle. The cover 7 is preferablymade with an inwardly bent rib 8 to engage the upper edge of thereceptacle or casing 1, and limit the downward movement of the casing,and the cover is made with a dome 9 to accommodate the internal framework as will now be eX- plained. A bar or frame lO'is bent at one endforming a lug 11 secured to the upper edge of easing 1 by means ofrivets 12, and an angle bracket 11 secures the other end of the bar tocasing 1. This bar or frame 10 between its ends, at the center of thereceptacle, is made with an upwardly extending rectangular arch 13, anda shaft 14 has a bearing at its upper end in this arch and at its lowerend has a thrust bearing in the center of the bottom 2. An arm oragitator 15 is secured on the shaft 14: near the bottom 2, and isadapted when the shaft is turned, to rotate in the casing and agitatethe popcorn on the bottom of the receptacle, preventing any from lodgingthere and burning. A pinion 16 is fixed on the shaft 14;, and is turnedby a larger gear wheel 17 fixed to a horizontal shaft 18, the lattersupported in bearings in the frame 10, and projecting beyond the casing,where it is provided with a suitable crank 19.

IVhen the casing is supplied with the proper amount of popcorn, thecover 7 is dropped down and the casing located over a flame or othersource of heat. As the corn begins to .pop the operator turns crank 19to revolve shaft 18, and gear wheel 17 to transmit motion to shaft 14through the medium of pinion 16 and rotate the agitating arm 15 toprevent any of the popcorn sticking to the bottom and becoming burned.

Slight changes might be made in the general form and arrangement ofparts described without departing from my invention, and hence I do notrestrict myself to the precise details set forth, but consider myself atliberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly fall within thespirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

In a device of the character described, the combination with a casing,of a frame secured to the upper end of said casing, said frame beingformed of a single strip of metal bent to form a central arch, one endof said strip being bent downwardly and secured to the casing, and theother end bent upwardly, a bracket connecting the last said end to saidcasing, a vertical shaft located centrally in the casing having abearing in said arch, and a thrust bearing in the casing bottom, anagitating arm secured on the shaft near the casing bottom, a pinion se-In testimony whereof I have signed my cured on the shaft Within thearch, a horlname to this specification in the presence of zontal shaftsupported in bearings formed two subscribing Witnesses.

in said upturned end and said arch of the MATTHEW H. HOFFMAN. 5 frame, agear Wheel on said horizontal shaft Vitnesses:

meshing With the pinion, and a crank on JANET E. HOGAN,

said horizontal shaft outside of the casing. HELEN F. LILLIs.

